CHAPTER REPORTS
NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR CHAPTER
ALBERTA CHAPTER
If April showers bring May flowers, what does a single dumping of more than 100 centimetres of snow in January bring? That’s easy! Increased visits to emergency departments, smiles on the faces of chiropractors and rocket sales for the manufacturers of pain relief products. Winter can be harsh on our facilities and the grounds surrounding them. On occasion, there is an extreme weather event and no amount of planning can prepare for the aftermath. This was the case with the record-breaking blizzard that hit Eastern Canada, aptly titled Snowmageddon 2020. A state of emergency was declared, lasting eight days. We found ourselves shovelling snow from one healthcare facility’s interior and wheelbarrowing it to the closest shower stalls for melting. Essential facilities staff, who worked more than 50 continuous hours performing duties well outside their normal job duties (cooking and serving meals, removing snow, driving courtesy vehicles, and so on), went above and beyond to ensure services could be delivered to clients. It was truly remarkable to see Newfoundlanders and Labradorians come together following this epic snowstorm. The chapter executive met in December, to strategize how to better deliver CHES events to our members and others who wish to attend. Much discussion surrounded our spring professional development forum. We are considering incorporating roundtable discussions and lessons learned, keeping in mind the tight timeframe to deliver such an event over the course of one day. We are also evaluating whether to move this event across the province from year to year. As a province, we are in a low. The number of residential and commercial new builds is at a minimum, and projects related to oil and gas are wrapping up. All predictions indicate this will continue for the next two to three years, so expect the status quo moving forward. For this reason, it is challenging for people to find funding to partake in voluntary groups like CHES. The chapter executive wants to assist our members and invest in their betterment, whether that involves providing education opportunities, sending additional members to the 2020 CHES National Conference in Halifax, paying for more webinars, or supporting members who take on the role of chair of a national committee. On that note, I’d like to congratulate Wayne Stokes on becoming the new chair of the national professional development committee. —Colin Marsh, Newfoundland & Labrador chapter chair
Recently, the Alberta government presented a review of Alberta Health Services (AHS) by Ernst and Young to the province’s health authority. Many of the recommendations in the report are incentives that AHS has already implemented or is exploring. Ernst and Young also identified AHS as a “changeready organization” committed to providing excellence in healthcare to Albertans. CSA Group hosted an infection control training course Feb. 24-25, in Edmonton. Topics covered included infection control during construction, renovation and maintenance activities in healthcare facilities. The Alberta chapter’s spring conference will take place May 11-12, in Red Deer, Alta. Delegate and vendor registration can be found on the Alberta chapter section of the CHES website. Although much of the chapter’s resources are currently focused on the upcoming conference, we continue to promote CHES within Alberta and advocate education opportunities for our chapter membership. I am excited to attend the 2020 CHES National Conference this fall with other members of the Alberta chapter executive. It will be my first visit to Halifax, so I’m looking forward to experiencing the beauty and history of the region. —Dan Ballantine, Alberta chapter chair
The 2020 CHES National Conference will be held Sept. 20-22, in Halifax.
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10 CANADIAN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES
MARITIME CHAPTER The 2020 CHES National Conference will take place Sept. 20-22, at the Halifax Convention Centre. The theme is, Enriching Patient Experiences by Optimizing the Environment. Alan Mallory is the keynote speaker. Educational session topics include the commissioning process and how it enhances the patient experience; a new way to manage planned shutdowns and react to unplanned service failures; improving project delivery in operating hospitals; environmental controls for hospitals and the impact on patient safety; designing and retrofitting healthcare facilities for accessibility and wayfinding; and HVAC performance optimization for improved health outcomes. The annual CHES golf tournament is scheduled for the first day of the conference, Sept. 20, at Glen Arbour Golf Course. During the evening, the opening reception will be held at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21. The companion program includes a two-hour sailing adventure on the world-renowned Bluenose II. After the excursion is lunch at the Old Fish Factory and then an outing to the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic. The following day, there will be a sightseeing tour of Halifax, before heading to Peggy's Cove for lunch. 2020 is an election year for the chapter executive. Nominations are now being accepted for the roles of vice-chair, secretary, treasurer, vice-chair New Brunswick, vice-chair Nova Scotia and vice-chair Prince Edward Island. If you are interested in any of these positions, contact Robert Barss at robert.barss@nshealth.ca. The chapter is able to balance its books while offering several financial incentives to members in the way of student bursaries, contribution to Canadian Certified Healthcare Facility Manager (CCHFM) exam fees, webinars, the fall education day and other rebates. —Helen Comeau, Maritime chapter chair
